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Deities
Across the world, people and creatures worship a great number of varied deities. Those described here are the deities most often worshiped among the common races, by adventurers, and by villains. Each entry includes the deity’s name, role, alignment, titles he or she is known by, and general description. These deities’ holy (or unholy) symbols are shown accompanying their descriptions. The Human Gods 'Heironeous ' The god of valor, Heironeous, is lawful good. His title is the Invincible and the Light. Heironeous promotes justice, valor, chivalry, and honor. The domains he is associated with are Good, Law, and War. His church is the most powerful and influential throughout "civilized" human lands. His favored weapon is the longsword, and he is worshiped by paladins, good fighters, good monks, and much of the human population. His archenemy is Hextor, his half-brother. Followers of Heironeous often look upon followers of other deities as infidels (this often includes other races). Many partake in large crusades in an attempt to convert the species of Hylos to their god, and it is not uncommon for "infidels" to be banished from human society. The Saints of the Church are often recognized for their great deeds in the eyes of their god, whether they are responsible for the conversion of large numbers of people, were leaders of a holy war, or martyrs. 'Saints of Heironeous' Saint Kord ' Kord, the saint of strength, is chaotic good. He is known as the Brawler. He was raised to sainthood after defeating a Hextorian warlord with his bare hands. His followers include athletes, particularly wrestlers, good fighters, barbarians, and rogues. The domains he is associated with are Chaos, Good, Luck, and Strength. Kord’s favored weapon is the greatsword. 'Saint Pelor ' Pelor, saint of the sun, is neutral good. His title is the Shining One. Pelor was a doer of many good things, a supporter of those in need, and an adversary of all that is evil. He was raised to sainthood do to his many acts of charity among the followers of Heironeous. Rangers and bards are found among his followers. The domains he is associated with are Good, Healing, Strength, and Sun. The mace is his favored weapon. 'Saint Cuthbert ' The saint of retribution, Cuthbert, is lawful neutral. He is known as St. Cuthbert of the Cudgel. St. Cuthbert exacts revenge and just punishment on those who transgress the law. He was raised to sainthood after turning back the tide of a Hextorian invasion of Heironean lands. The domains he is associated with are Destruction, Law, Protection, and Strength. His favored weapon is the mace. 'Hextor ' The god of tyranny, Hextor, is lawful evil. His titles are Champion of Evil, Herald of Hell, and Scourge of Battle. Hextor is the six-armed god of war, conflict, and destruction. Hextor’s worshipers include evil fighters and monks. The domains he is associated with are Destruction, Evil, Law, and War. His favored weapon is the flail. He sends his followers to commit evil, and their special purpose is to overthrow the followers of his half-brother Heironeous wherever they are found. Followers of Hextor inhabit the lands deemed "uncivilized" by followers of Heironeous. They look upon Herioneous' followers with contempt, and often wage holy wars against them in the name of Hextor. The great source of conflict between the two brothers is the aquisition of the legendary blade known as "The Holy Avenger." This sword was crafted by Invictus, the now dead father of Heironeous and Hextor, and was created for the two brothers to prove which was more powerful. Followers of the two religions have been fighting over the "Holy Land," which contains the Temple of Invictus that houses the blade, for centuries. The God of Elves 'Corellon Larethian ' The god of elves, Corellon Larethian, is chaotic good. He is known as the Creator of the Elves, the Protector, Protector and Preserver of Life, and Ruler of All Elves. Corellon Larethian is the creator and protector of the elf race. He governs those things held in highest esteem among elves, such as magic,music, arts, crafts, poetry, and warfare. Elves, half-elves, and bards worship him. The domains he is associated with are Chaos, Good, Protection, and War. His favored weapon is the longsword. Gruumsh is his nemesis, and it is because of Corellon’s battle prowess that Gruumsh is called “One-Eye.” The God of Dwarves 'Moradin ' The god of dwarves, Moradin, is lawful good. His titles include the Soul Forger, Dwarffather, the All-Father, and the Creator. Moradin forged the first dwarves out of metal and gems and breathed life into them. He governs the arts and sciences of the dwarves: smithing, metalworking, engineering, and war. The domains he is associated with are Earth, Good, Law, and Protection. His favored weapon is the warhammer. The God of Halflings 'Yondalla ' The goddess of halflings, Yondalla, is lawful good. Her titles include the Protector and Provider, the Nurturing Matriarch, and the Blessed One. Yondalla is the creator and protector of the halfling race. She espouses harmony within the halfling race and stalwart defense against their enemies. Her followers hope to lead safe, prosperous lives by following her guidance. The domains she is associated with are Good, Law, and Protection. The short sword is her favored weapon. The God of Gnomes 'Garl Glittergold ' The god of gnomes, Garl Glittergold, is neutral good. He is known as the Joker, the Watchful Protector, the Priceless Gem, and the Sparkling Wit. Garl Glittergold discovered the gnomes and led them into the world. Since then, he has been their protector. He governs humor, wit, gemcutting, and jewelrymaking. The domains he is associated with are Good, Protection, and Trickery. Garl’s favored weapon is the battleaxe. He is renowned for the jokes and pranks he pulls on other deities, though not all his victims laugh off his jests. Garl once collapsed the cavern of Kurtulmak, the god of the kobolds. Since then, the two deities have been sworn enemies. The God of Orcs 'Gruumsh ' Gruumsh, chief god of the orcs, is chaotic evil. His titles are One-Eye and He-Who-Never-Sleeps. Gruumsh calls on his followers to be strong, to cull the weak from their numbers, and to take all the territory that Gruumsh thinks is rightfully theirs (which is almost everything). The domains he is associated with are Chaos, Evil, Strength, and War. Gruumsh’s favored weapon is the spear. He harbors a special hatred for Corellon Larethian, Moradin, and their followers. In ages past, Corellon Larethian put out Gruumsh’s left eye in a fight. The Occult Gods 'Boccob ' The god of magic, Boccob, is neutral. His titles include the Uncaring, Lord of All Magics, and Archmage of the Deities. Boccob is a distant deity who promotes no special agenda in the world of mortals. As a god of magic and knowledge, he is worshiped by wizards, sorcerers, and sages, although his followers are given a cult-like status and are often persecuted by followers of Heironeous. The domains he is associated with are Knowledge, Magic, and Trickery. The quarterstaff is his favored weapon. 'Erythnul ' The god of slaughter, Erythnul, is chaotic evil. His title is the Many. Erythnul delights in panic and slaughter. In civilized lands, his followers (including evil fighters, barbarians, and rogues) form small, criminal cults that often partake in human sacrifice and slaughter for the ammusement of their god. In savage lands, evil barbarians, gnolls, bugbears, ogres, and trolls commonly worship him. The domains he is associated with are Chaos, Evil, Trickery, and War. His favored weapon is a morningstar with a blunt stone head. 'Nerull ' The god of death, Nerull, is neutral evil. He is known as the Reaper, the Foe of All Good, Hater of Life, Bringer of Darkness, King of All Gloom, and Reaper of Flesh. Nerull is the patron of those who seek the greatest evil for their own enjoyment or gain. The domains he is associated with are Death, Evil, and Trickery. His worshipers, who include evil necromancers and rogues, depict himas an almost skeletal cloaked figure who bears a scythe, his favored weapon. 'Wee Jas ' Wee Jas, the goddess of death and magic, is lawful neutral. Her titles are Witch Goddess, Ruby Sorceress, Stern Lady, and Death’s Guardian. Wee Jas is a demanding goddess who expects obedience from her followers. Her temples are few and secret, but she counts many powerful sorcerers and wizards (especially necromancers) among her worshipers. The domains she is associated with are Death, Law, and Magic. Her favored weapon is the dagger. The Nature Gods 'Ehlonna ' Ehlonna, the goddess of the woodlands, is neutral good. Her most commonly encountered title is Ehlonna of the Forests, but is also known as Mother Nature. Ehlonna watches over all good people who live in the forest, love the woodlands, or make their livelihood there, and represents the gentle, beautiful, and harmonious side of nature. She is pictured sometimes as an elf and sometimes as a human. She is especially close to elves, gnomes, half-elves, and halflings. She is worshipped by druids and some rangers. Ehlonnian druidism is rivaled with Obad-Haian druidism, but both groups are persecuted by followers of Heironious. The domains she is associated with are Animal, Good, Plant, and Sun. Her favored weapon is the longbow. 'Obad-Hai ' Obad-Hai, the god of nature, is neutral. He is known as the Shalm. Obad-Hai rules nature and the wilderness, and he is a friend to all who live in harmony with the natural world, although he more often represents the unbiased, often violent side of nature. Druids, and sometimes barbarians and rangers worship him. Obad-Haian druidism is a remnant of the old nature worship that Heironeous's followers are trying to stamp out. The domains he is associated with are Air, Animal, Earth, Fire, Plant, and Water. Because Obad-Hai strictly adheres to neutrality, he is a rival of Ehlonna. Obad-Hai plays a shalm (a double-reed woodwind musical instrument, also spelled “shawm”) and takes his title from this instrument. His favored weapon is the quarterstaff. Legendary Figures 'Fharlanghn ' Fharlanghn, "The Watcher of Roads," is neutral. His title is Dweller on the Horizon. Tales speak of him as a wandering man who protected travelers on the road from bandits, and thus he has become a figure of safe travel. Fharlanghn’s wayside shrines are common on well-used roads, for he embodies travel, roads, distance, and horizons. Bards, other wandering adventurers, and merchants favor Fharlanghn. The domains he is associated with are Luck, Protection, and Travel. The quarterstaff is his favored weapon. 'The Nameless God :::: The Nameless God is perhaps the most mysterious of the deities of Hylos. Though not explicitly name'd' in creation myths, signs of him can be found in most. In addition to creation, The Nameless God is often tied to the concepts of destiny, balance, and storytelling. It is said that The Nameless God crafts the destiny of each creature and will influence events to follow these fates. The Nameless God is Neutral Neutral, seeking only to maintain balance in the world. Though all intelligent creatures speak of The Nameless God only in whispers, his presence is most strongly felt in the lives of adventurers. It has even been said that The Nameless God will choose specific adventurers, players, to guide their quests. These players are sometimes even gifted by The Nameless God with improvements to their abilities. The Nameless God is even known to take the form of an adventurer himself. In addition to "The Nameless God," The Nameless God is called by many titles, including "The Omniscient One", "The Storyteller", the "God of Many Faces", and "Dungeon Master." 'Olidammara ' The "Theif Lord," Olidammara, is chaotic neutral. His title is the Laughing Rogue. Olidammara delights in wine, women, and song. He is a vagabond, a prankster, and a master of disguise. Many people are willing to raise a glass in his honor, and he is often thought to embody luck. His tales are ones of master heists and cons, and he is legendary for his skill in the rogue arts. Rogues and bards are frequently among his followers. The domains he is associated with are Chaos, Luck, and Trickery. The rapier is his favored weapon. 'Vecna ' Vecna, the "God of Secrets," is neutral evil. He is known as the Maimed Lord, the Whispered One, and the Master of All That Is Secret and Hidden. He was a man who became a lich and supposedly ascended to godhood, and acted as servant to the devils. His followers see him as a prophet, and are secretly spread through out the civilized world. Many of his rituals are in parody of Heironean worship. Vecna is thought to rule that which is not meant to be known and that which people wish to keep secret. The domains he is associated with are Evil, Knowledge, and Magic. He usually appears as a lich who is missing his left hand and left eye. He lost his hand and eye in a fight with his traitorous lieutenant, Kas. Vecna’s favored weapon is the dagger.